Pampa man posts bond on arson charge

Fire officials say they believe Lewis started two other grassfires

AMARILLO -- A Pampa man posted a $7,500 bond Tuesday after prosecutors had charged him with arson, authorities said.

Eric Christopher Lewis, 20, was taken to the Gray County jail Monday after a witness spotted a man matching his description fleeing from a blaze in the 800 block of East Kingsmill Avenue, Pampa Fire Marshal Michael Ryan said. A grassfire sparked in the backyard of an abandoned structure about 3:22 p.m., Ryan said.

Fire officials said they believe Lewis started two other grassfires, both in the 600 block of East Foster Avenue earlier that day, Ryan said.

The first one began shortly before 11 a.m. and burned about 600 square feet, he said. The second blaze sparked at about 1:20 p.m. and burned about 5,000 square feet, he said.

Firefighters extinguished all three blazes within 30 minutes, and no one was injured, Ryan said.

Fire officials suspected arson because the fire locations were not common routes, he said.

Prosecutors have charged Lewis on one count of arson, a second-degree felony. If convicted, Lewis could face two to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.